New Vermont digester transforms ice cream waste into power

Turning ice cream into renewable energy is the goal behind a new partnership with Ben & Jerry’s. “It really is a passion project for Ben & Jerry’s, and we’re really excited that it’s here,” said Jenna Evans with Ben & Jerry’s. Construction on the anaerobic digester began in May 2023, and the facility came online in December. Ice cream waste is pumped from the Ben and Jerry’s factory just up the road. Some of the waste comes from ice cream not up to taste or when a switchover occurs during production. Other waste from other food and beverage producers in Vermont and upstate New York is also trucked to the facility. The digester is similar to what happens after you take a bite from your favorite pint — it acts like a stomach, with bacteria breaking down waste, producing methane. A process already used on several Vermont farms. The facility converts the waste into three elements. Renewable energy that’s sent to the Green Mountain Power grid, clean water used by St. Albans’ wastewater treatment facility, and solid waste that’s added as a soil amendment on nearby Hudak Farm.